Aircraft flight instrument display system

Abstract

Apparatus for providing an integrated display of flight instrument parameters on the screen of a single cathode ray tube is presented. The synthetically generated symbology provides the pilot with an integrated display of substantially all aircraft attitude and flight path command and control parameters including attitude and magnetic heading, barometric and radiometric attitude, vertical spread, critical take-off speeds, true airspeed and Mach airspeed, flight path angle, flight director path control commands, and mode annunciation for the flight director and automatic pilot systems.

We claim: 
     
       1. Display apparatus for aircraft for indicating to the pilot the pitch and roll attitude of the aircraft comprising: (a) means defining a display field of view including a reference index generally in the center of said field and having the general shape of an aircraft and comprising a fuselage portion and wing portions laterally extending therefrom, (b) means for providing a horizon defining line in said field and including means responsive to the pitch and roll attitude of said craft for correspondingly positioning said horizon line relative to said reference index,   (c) means for providing a roll attitude reference scale comprising a zero roll attitude pointer and plurality of roll attitude graduation marks extending in predetermined spaced relation vertically above and below said zero roll attitude pointer for representing predetermined angles of roll attitude of said craft by the position of said horizon defining line relative to said roll graduation marks, said scale being located generally adjacent a wing tip of said reference index, and   (d) means responsive to a predetermined function of the pitch and roll attitude of said craft for moving said zero roll attitude pointer vertically relative to said index wing tip and simultaneously varying the relative spacing between said roll attitude graduation marks, whereby said horizon defining line will be aligned with said roll graduation marks at corresponding pitch and roll attitudes of said aircraft.   
     
     
       2. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said roll attitude graduation marks are short straight lines and wherein said predetermined function of the pitch and roll attitude of said craft maintains said linear roll attitude graduation marks aligned with said horizon line at said corresponding pitch and roll attitudes of said aircraft. 
     
     
       3. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a pitch attitude reference scale having a zero pitch attitude graduation adjacent said reference index wing tip and a plurality of pitch attitude graduations extending vertically above and below said zero pitch attitude graduation, said zero roll attitude pointer indicating the pitch attitude of the aircraft on said scale. 
     
     
       4. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fuselage portion of said aircraft reference index has a finite area and further including means for providing a numeric indication of a craft parameter related to pitch attitude within said reference index fuselage area. 
     
     
       5. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further comprising (a) means for limiting the pitch motion of said horizon defining line for aircraft pitch attitudes greater than a predetermined value to thereby maintain said horizon line within said field of view and for correspondingly limiting the motion of said roll pointer and roll graduations, and   (b) means responsive to pitch attitudes greater than said predetermined value for moving said pitch attitude graduations relative to said reference index wing tip in a direction such that said zero roll attitude pointer indicates the actual pitch attitude of the craft greater than said predetermined value.   
     
     
       6. Display apparatus for aircraft for indicating to the pilot the pitch and roll attitude of the aircraft comprising (a) means defining a display field of view including a reference index generally in the center of said field and having the general shape of an aircraft comprising a fuselage portion and wing portions laterally extending therefrom,   (b) means for providing a horizon defining line in said field and including means responsive to the pitch and roll attitude of the craft for correspondingly positioning said horizon line relative to said reference index,   (c) means for providing a roll attitude reference scale comprising a plurality of roll attitude graduations extending in predetermined spaced relation vertically in said display field and representing predetermined angles of roll attitude of said craft,   (d) means responsive to a predetermined function of the pitch and roll attitude of the aircraft for moving said roll attitude reference scale vertically relative to said aircraft reference index and simultaneously varying the relative spacing between said graduations,   (e) means providing a pitch attitude reference pointer generally aligned with said aircraft reference index wing tip and a scale of numeric aircraft pitch attitude generally vertically parallel to said roll reference scale, and   (f) means responsive to the pitch attitude of the aircraft for moving said pitch scale relative to said pitch pointer in a direction opposite to the movement of said horizon line.   
     
     
       7. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further includng (a) means for limiting the pitch motion of said horizon line and correspondingly limiting the pitch motion of said roll scale for aircraft pitch attitudes greater than a predetermined value less than the maximum actual pitch attitude capable of being displayed in said field of view to thereby maintain the position of said horizon line and the position of said roll scale within said field of view for pitch attitudes greater than said predetermined value, and   (b) means responsive to pitch attitudes greater than ninety degrees for reversing the limited horizon line position in said field of view and for maintaining said roll scale at said limited position thereof in said field of view.   
     
     
       8. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the fuselage portion of said aircraft reference index has a finite area and further providing a numeric indication of a flight parameter related to aircraft pitch attitude within said reference index fuselage area. 
     
     
       9. Flight director display apparatus for aircraft for indicating to the pilot the pitch and roll commands required to cause said aircraft to approach and thereafter maintain a desired flight path comprising (a) means defining a display field and including a reference index generally in the center of said field, said reference index having the general shape of an aircraft including a fuselage portion of finite substantially symmetrical area and a pair of wings extending laterally from said fuselage portion and spaced therefrom,   (b) a flight director symbol comprising right-left pointing triangularly shaped arrowheads and up-down pointing triangularly shaped arrowheads respectively connected by arrow shaft lines, the spacing between the bases of said arrowheads defining a finite area corresponding to the area of said reference index fuselage portion, whereby when said commands are satisfied, said arrowheads project symmetrically beyond said index fuselage portion.   
     
     
       10. Display apparatus for aircraft for indicating to the pilot the progress of aircraft airspeed during take-off and climb comprising (a) means defining a display field of view including a reference index generally in the center thereof,   (b) a vertically elongated, narrow area within and at one side of said field of view for indicating aircraft airspeed related parameters to the pilot, and having a line defining an edge of said narrow area,   (c) means responsive to craft airspeed for providing a numeric scale movable along one side of said line in accordance with changes in craft airspeed and including a numeric indication of instantaneous airspeed in substantial horizontally fixed alignment with said reference index,   (d) reference airspeed index means corresponding to desired operating airspeeds located on the opposite side of said line, and   (e) means for moving said reference airspeed index means with said numeric scale when the values of said numeric scale correspond to said reference airspeeds.   
     
     
       11. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said reference airspeed index means comprises reference takeoff airspeeds corresponding to decision speed V 1 , rotation speed V R  and safety speed V 2 . 
     
     
       12. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 11 further comprising (a) means for obscuring said airspeed scale for airspeeds below said safety speed and for displaying said scale at airspeeds above said safety speed.   
     
     
       13. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 10 further including (a) means for obscuring said movable airspeed scale in the area occupied by said numeric indication of instantaneous airspeed.   
     
     
       14. Display apparatus for aircraft for providing the pilot with an indication of the rate of climb and dive of the aircraft comprising (a) means defining a display field of view including a reference index generally at the center thereof,   (b) a vertically elongated narrow area within and at one side of said field of view for indicating to the pilot the rate of climb and dive of the aircraft and having a line defining an edge of said narrow area,   (c) a fixed numeric scale on one side of said line including a zero rate of climb and dive index in substantially horizontal alignment with said reference index and extending thereabove and therebelow a finite distance corresponding to predetermined values of rates of climb and dive respectively,   (d) a movable pointer located on the opposite side of said line and means responsive to craft rate of climb and dive for moving said pointer above and below said zero index respectively and for limiting said motion for rates of climb and dive greater than said predetermined rates, and   (e) a plurality of horizontally short graduation marks vertically disposed adjacent said narrow area and means responsive to said craft rate of climb and dive for moving said marks at a rate corresponding thereto and in directions opposite to the movement of said movable pointer.   
     
     
       15. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 14 further including areas at each end of said rate of climb and dive scale, and means for providing a numeric indication of actual rate of climb and dive of the aircraft for values thereof greater than said predetermined values. 
     
     
       16. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 10 further including means for obscuring said airspeed scale values corresponding to airspeeds greater than maximum operating speed. 
     
     
       17. The display apparatus as set forth in claim 10 further including means for at least partially obscuring said airspeed scale values corresponding to airspeeds less than stall margin speed and greater than flap placard speed. 
     
     
       18. Display apparatus for aircraft for providing the pilot with an indication of altitude and vertical speed of the aircraft comprising (a) means defining a display field of view including an aircraft reference index generally at the center thereof,   (b) a pair of vertically elongated narrow areas within and at one side of said field of view, one of said areas for indicating to the pilot the altitude progress of the aircraft and the other the vertical speed progress of the aircraft, each narrow area having a line defining an edge thereof,   (c) a movable altitude scale including altitude numerics increasing in value from the bottom of said scale to the top thereof on one side of one of said lines and a fixed index on the opposite side thereof in substantial horizontal alignment with said aircraft reference index and means responsive to the altitude of the aircraft for moving said scale downward for increasing altitudes and vice versa,   (d) a fixed vertical speed scale on one side of the other of said lines including vertical speed numerics increasing in value from a zero index, said zero index being in substantial horizontal alignment with said aircraft reference index and including a vertical speed pointer on the opposite side of said other line and means responsive to the vertical speed of the aircraft for moving said pointer upwardly and downwardly in accordance with upward and downward aircraft vertical speeds, and   (e) a plurality of horizontally short graduation marks vertically disposed adjacent said movable altitude scale and means responsive to said craft vertical speed for moving said graduation marks at a rate corresponding thereto and in a direction opposite to the movement of said altitude scale.   
     
     
       19. Display apparatus for aircraft for providing the pilot with an indication of the wind shear being experienced by the aircraft during an approach to a landing runway comprising, (a) means defining a display field of view,   (b) a vertically elongated narrow area within said field of view including a vertical line defining an edge thereof,   (c) a fixed numeric scale on one side of said line and representing values of wind speed as a function of aircraft altitude,   (d) a pointer on the opposite side of said line cooperating with said scale, and   (e) means for positioning said pointer relative to said scale in accordance with the difference between the wind speed at the aircraft and the wind speed at the landing runway said difference divided by the instantaneous altitude of the craft above the landing runway.